Patentable/Patents/US-11258106
US-11258106

Asynchronous multi-purpose battery interface

PublishedFebruary 22, 2022
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a battery operating mode. The method includes connecting an electronic processor to a first electrical contact of a battery interface via a switch; generating, with the electronic processor, an initialization pulse for a signal demultiplexer of a battery; transmitting the initialization pulse to the signal demultiplexer; generating, with the electronic processor, a data word indicating a desired operating mode; transmitting the data word to the signal demultiplexer; generating, with the signal demultiplexer, a signal to electrically connect a first battery switch to the first electrical contact, the first battery switch selected based on the data word; receiving, with an analog to digital converter of the electrical device, a signal indicating the operating mode voltage; and verifying, with the electronic processor, a correct operating mode based on the operating mode voltage.

Patent Claims
20 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. An apparatus for controlling a battery operating mode, the apparatus comprising an electrical device, the electrical device including a plurality of switches, an analog-to-digital converter configured to receive an operating mode voltage and an electronic processor, the electronic processor configured to generate an initialization pulse, generate a data word indicating a desired operating mode, and verify a correct operating mode based on the operating mode voltage; a battery interface, the battery interface including a first electrical contact, a first one of the plurality of switches electrically connecting the electronic processor to the first electrical contact; and a battery, the battery including a plurality of battery switches and a signal demultiplexer electrically connected to the first electrical contact, the signal demultiplexer configured to receive the initialization pulse, receive the data word, generate a signal to electrically connect a first battery switch of the plurality of battery switches to the first electrical contact for transmitting the operating mode voltage to the analog-to-digital converter of the electrical device, the first battery switch selected based on the data word.

2

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a pulse width of the initialization pulse is greater than a pulse width of a reset pulse of a current operating mode of the battery.

3

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal demultiplexer generates a signal to connect the first battery switch to a pull-up resistor when the initialization pulse is received.

4

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , the electrical device further comprising a pull-down resistor.

5

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the electrical device generates the initialization pulse and the data word using the first one of the plurality of switches and the pull-down resistor.

6

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to generate a signal to electrically connect a second one of the plurality of switches to a second electrical contact of the battery interface based on the correct operating mode being verified.

7

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the signal demultiplexer is further configured to generate a signal to electrically connect the second one of the plurality of battery switches to the second electrical contact.

8

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second one of the plurality of battery switches is selected based on the data word.

9

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the battery operating mode is an operating mode selected from the group consisting of an I2C operating mode, a near-field communication operating mode, a battery cell voltage monitoring operating mode, and a one-wire operating mode.

10

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data word is received during a specified time window after receiving the initialization pulse.

11

11. A method for controlling a battery operating mode, the method comprising: connecting an electronic processor of an electrical device to a first electrical contact of a battery interface via a first one a plurality of switches; generating, with the electronic processor of the electrical device, an initialization pulse for a signal demultiplexer of a battery; transmitting the initialization pulse to the signal demultiplexer via the first electrical contact of the battery interface; generating, with the electronic processor, a data word indicating a desired operating mode of the battery; transmitting the data word to the signal demultiplexer via the first electrical contact; generating, with the signal demultiplexer, a signal to electrically connect a first battery switch of a plurality of battery switches to the first electrical contact, the first battery switch selected based on the data word; receiving, with the signal demultiplexer, a signal indicating an operating mode voltage from the first battery switch; receiving, with an analog-to-digital converter of the electrical device, a signal indicating the operating mode voltage to the electronic processor via the first electrical contact; and verifying, with the electronic processor, a correct operating mode based on the operating mode voltage.

12

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a pulse width of the initialization pulse is greater than a pulse width of a reset pulse of a current operating mode of the battery.

13

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the signal demultiplexer generates a signal to connect the first battery switch to a pull-up resistor when the initialization pulse is received.

14

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electrical device includes a pull-down resistor.

15

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electronic processor generates the initialization pulse and the data word using the first one of the plurality of switches and the pull-down resistor.

16

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating, with the electronic processor, a signal to electrically connect a second one of the plurality of switches to a second electrical contact of the battery interface based on the correct operating mode being verified.

17

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising generating, with the signal demultiplexer, a signal to electrically connect a second battery switch of the plurality of battery switches to the second electrical contact.

18

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second battery switch is selected based on the data word.

19

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the battery operating mode is an operating mode selected from the group consisting of an I2C operating mode, a near-field communication operating mode, a battery cell voltage monitoring operating mode, and a one-wire operating mode.

20

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the data word is received during a specified time window after receiving the initialization pulse.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

March 18, 2020

Publication Date

February 22, 2022

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Cite as: Patentable. “Asynchronous multi-purpose battery interface” (US-11258106). https://patentable.app/patents/US-11258106

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